2025 Chevrolet Equinox First Drive: This Sensible SUV Is Now Sportier And More Tech-Filled

For the 2025 redesign, Chevy’s designers sought to add more SUV appeal, versus the soft corners and edges we’ve gotten used to in crossover SUVs. The result is that the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox is 2.5” wider and has more cargo space thanks to a more squared rear end. 

The front end features a new grille and headlights inspired by the Chevy Colorado, designed to convey capability and truck-like confidence. In all, the look gives the Equinox a more mature appeal; it’s grown up a bit and now looks more like its siblings. 

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For 2025 Chevy is offering three versions of the Equinox: LT, which is the base model, RS, or rally sport, and Activ, which is designed for adventure. Chevy actually reduced the number of trims, eliminating the base LS and the top Premium, simplifying the choices. Still, buyers who just want the basics don’t have to overspend to get good options in the entry-level LT, including an upgraded suite of driver assist and safety systems and the new 11” multimedia system with Google maps and Google voice-activated assistance. 

Also standard are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power driver’s seat, heated front seats and steering wheel, keyless entry with push button starter, remote starter, 4 USB ports and cloth seats. 

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This might be the tougher choice: The classic RS trim adds details like a gloss black grille and trim details, leatherette upholstery, red interior accents and gloss black roof and roof rails. This is the city-friendly, sportier version of the Equinox, a great choice for buyers who spend more time in Sport mode.

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Recognizing, as most SUV makers have, that people want to get away from the city and out to the parks and trails, Chevrolet has added the Activ trim for light off-roading. This isn’t a true rock-crawling, water-fording SUV, but it’s more capable that most compact SUVs when all wheel drive is added, which is a $2,000 option. 

From there, Chevy added all terrain tires and the off-road drive mode has been enhanced for better performance on dirt and gravel. The Activ model also comes with a standard leatherette and microsuede interior—our test model was outfitted in gray leatherette with and Maple Sugar microsuede—and a white or black roof for an even more adventurous look. 

This is a huge upgrade for 2025: A new wide panel that holds two screens: an 11” driver display and an 11” multimedia display. On the multimedia system you’ll find maps, music and vehicle settings, including driver assist and safety systems. And if you don’t feel like tapping the screen for what you need, you can just say “Hey Google” and the system will follow your commands. This is also where you’ll find the headlight controls, it’s worth noting.

The driver screen allows you to customize your view, even adding a map view if you’d like; just tap the menu button on the steering wheel to scroll through the options.

And then, there’s this: The climate control panel is a set of buttons just under the center screen, not on the screen as is the trend. This is not only a nice touch, but the buttons are nicely designed and easy to use.

This might be my favorite feature of all: a full suite of driver assist and safety features that are included standard on all models. These include rear assist with emergency braking, front pedestrian and bicycle braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, follow distance indicator, automatic high beam assist, intersection auto emergency braking, rear park assist, cross traffic braking, blind zone monitor and steer assist, reverse automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, buckle to drive, rear seatbelt reminder, HD rear camera, rear seat alert and OnStar. The surround view camera (seen here) is an option.

Chevy execs touted that buyers of the base LT model can add more options for a little more customization. But buyers of all models can upgrade the tech and conveniences in all models with two option packages: Safety and Tech, and Convenience. 

Safety and Tech adds a digital rearview camera mirror, surround view camera, pedestrian alert and traffic sign recognition fir $1,085. The Convenience package adds more power settings to the drivers seat, heated rain-sensing wipers, auto-sensing liftgate, roof rails and in the LT model, cloth seats are replaced with Evotex leatherette. This package in the RS and Activ models is $950, but in the LT model it’s $2,050 due to the addition of leatherette, auto-sensing liftgate and a wireless phone charge pad, which the other models have standard. 

From there, buyers can add a panoramic sunroof ($1,495), and in the LT model buyers can add a contrast black or white roof ($495).

Chevy is sticking with its single engine offering, a 1.5L turbo 4 cylinder that generates 175 HP. Front wheel drive (which is standard) models come with a continuously variable transmission that has been programmed to sound and feel more like a conventional transmission. All wheel drive models come with an 8-speed transmission. 

And, there are multiple drive modes including snow and off-road. Snow mode is designed to avoid wheel slip to better grip in messy weather, while off-road is designed to keep digging in the dirt or gravel to eventually get grip.

Confidence is the key to driving any car, and on this the Equinox delivers. We took an Activ model out for the morning hitting highways, back roads and suburban streets; it was at home in all those places, even in the rain, mud and on dirt roads. 

On the highway I had a chance to put it in adaptive cruise, which is one of my favorite features and it performed perfectly, even slowing quickly when a truck pulled in front of me and then hit its brakes. I also appreciated the lane keep assist feature that guides the car in its lane, and haptic seat vibration that alerts you to anything that might get in your way— other cars or pedestrians; this is something I noticed when sitting in a parking lot and people walked by or behind the car. 

On the road, the 8 speed transmission feels nice and natural, adding the rhythm you’d expect from the powertrain. The one thing I didn’t love is that the cabin isn’t super quiet on the highway. I didn’t notice it as much on back roads, but at higher speeds road noise was noticeable. 

As you might expect, pretty good. Chevrolet takes pride in ensuring that the middle seat in a 5-passenger SUV is big enough for a child car seat. there are two full sets of LATCHes and a top tether for the middle seat. The rear seats are fixed, so they don’t move forward and back, nor do they recline. 

I measured and found the outboard seats to be about 18” wide and the middle seat is 15” which is enough space to accommodate a car seat or a passenger. Buyers should be able to accommodate 3 child car seats across the bench if seats are on the slender side 

Behind my seat, and I’m 5’8”, I measured 32” seat back to seat back, which is plenty of space for a rear facing child car seat, though behind my passenger, who had his seat pushed further back, I measured 27”. Buyers who need two rear facing car seats should measure with front seats positioned for driver and passenger.

The thing about sensible shoes is they won’t break the bank, and that can be said of the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox, too. The LT model starts at just under $30,000, and for an additional $3,395 you can upgrade to the sporty RS or adventurous Activ trim. Where things drive up the price is adding all wheel drive, which is $2,000 extra, or adding one the available packages: Panoramic sunroof, $1,495, the Safety and Tech Package ($1,085) or the Convenience Package ($950 on RS and Activ, $2,050 on LT). Our test Activ and RS models came in at $39,925 with every option and the $1,395 delivery fee added. It’s all very sensible on paper, but feels far more indulgent in person.